Girl, 8, strikes blow for equality over 'boys only' books | Books | The Guardian

Els, from Bounds Green school in London, decided to get in touch with the publisher after spotting the title, Amazing Things for Boys to Make and Do - "the Cap'n of pirate fun books. Pure gold" - in a catalogue for the Scholastic book fair coming to her school. She wrote a petition, arguing that no books should be "for girls" or "for boys". She asked, "What if a girl wanted a pirate book and it said 'For boys', she might say 'What's wrong with me, I like boys' stuff?" - and collected more than 80 signatures from friends, teachers and family members.

Els sent it to the publisher with the support of the campaign group Let Books Be Books, which also took Scholastic to task over an online tool for book recommendations. The 'book wizard' quizzes children on their interests and - until Friday - offered "very different questions, and different books to boys and girls", said the campaigners.